Minister: Outsource electoral process

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Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang' has has proposed that the process of conducting future polls in Kenya be outsourced May 25, 2011. FILE

By JOHN NGIRACHU, jngirachu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Wednesday, May 25 2011 at 13:19

Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’ has proposed that the process of conducting future polls in Kenya be outsourced.

He said the system to register voters electronically, the actual voting and processing of election results would eliminate chances of manipulation and therefore the threat of violence.

Mr Kajwang’ who is also the MP for Mbita, said the system has been shown to work in other countries.

“The government does not even need to be involved. The electoral commission can even outsource it like they do in Nigeria and in the mayoral elections in London,” said Mr Kajwang’ during debate in Parliament Wednesday.

Mr Kajwang’ spoke as MPs overwhelmingly approved a motion to compel the next electoral commission to use electronic systems in the registration of voters, the voting and the processing of results.

The motion by Rachuonyo MP James Rege was commended by all who contributed to debate and its implementation could reduce the time between voting and declaration of results as well as the disputes that follow.

Mr Rege, who also chairs the Energy, Information and Communications Committee, said Kenya is capable of using development in Information Communication Technology as shown by innovations in banking and money transfer systems.  

A precedent has also been set in the use of electronic registration, voting and tallying in the by-elections held since the Interim Independent Electoral Commission took office.

In the by-election in Ikolomani last Monday, the results were out by 9p.m., four hours after the close of voting.

Mr Rege caused a stir when he asserted that a sitting MP serving his second term had never won an election and had therefore forced his way to Parliament.

He was cut short as he said the MP was from “Southern…” and was forced to withdraw the statement as he could not substantiate it.  

Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara said it was surprising that the government had not done much to ensure the electronic systems are not in place given the experience after the 2007 General Election.

He said complete reform of the electoral systems would be part of implementing the new Constitution.

“We must do everything possible to ensure the promise of the new Constitution is realized, and that’s why I support this motion,” said Mr Imanyara.  

MPs William Kabogo (Juja, Narc-Kenya) and Beth Mugo (Dagoretti, PNU) said they were victims of the flawed method of voting and tallying manually at the last elections.

“We know situations where people who are dead have participated in voting,” said Mr Kabogo, who successfully petitioned the election of George Thuo and later won the seat in a by-election last September.

Mrs Mugo said the electronic systems would end the perennial complaints of “I have been rigged out” that follow elections in Kenya.

Kisumu Town East MP Shakeel Shabbir said the electronic system should be tailor-made for Kenya and warned against importing it from places where they are used with their inherent problems.

Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo said the government should make it possible for every Kenyan to have one number that would be used for every purpose- birth, identity card, voting, social security- which would be deleted upon death.

Responding on behalf of the government, Justice assistant minister William Cheptumo said the government would implement the motion as part of electoral reforms.